Slot Machines
by ForceWalker
Summary: No one would have ever thought they would have got along, let alone worked together. They were complete opposites to most people But appearances could be deceiving, and a bond is more than just skin deep. Follow the gambler and mechanic as they go through the winding paths of their life, before they pull the lever on the slot machine, hoping to hit the jackpot.


Kazuichi looked down at the menu in his hand. A sweat drop trickled down his face, anxiety running through his body. He shakily held the menu in his hand, thinking of what words to say to the person across from him. His blue tuxedo (which he spent nearly all his money on, oh lord, he worked hard as hell to make all that) was feeling tighter and tighter as the seconds passed, the silence starting to bear down on him.

 _'Come on, say something! You're here with her now, you've got to make a good impression, Kazuichi! Do you realize all that's happened to even get here?! You can't let it go to waste! You've practiced this a million times in front of the mirror! You got this!'_

After running a hand through his pink (and badly layered) long hair of sorts, he took a deep breath and looked up with a grin.

"So what do you have in mind? I was uh...thinking about the steak, you know? It sounds really good, you know, my kind of food." He grinned, trying to project an aura of easygoing confidence.

His counterpart, however, did not reciprocate. Her red eyes shot up from the menu and bore into his own. Her exquisite, strapless black and white dress with the large skit of the dress reaching down to her legs, and her black hair tied up into a bun. Celestia looked truly like a porcelain gothic doll, one so beautiful that it would seem like a crime if you dared touched her.

And Celestia kept those eyes on Kazuichi, who was starting to get very nervous as he pulled at the collar of his tuxedo. Was it getting hotter in here or something?

Soon enough, Celeste pulled her eyes back down, continuing to glance over menu as a result. The Ultimate Mechanic released a breath he didn't know he was holding before scratching his cheek.

"Ah, nothing to say right now? Probably still thinking about what you want. That's good. No need to rush! Take your time! After all, we're here to eat some good food, right?" Kazuichi thumbed up with a toothy grin.

Which was followed by him hiding behind his menu and holding his head with a muted groan to himself.

"Did I really just say that? Come on, Kazuichi, you couldn't have said something cooler. I mean, this is actually... Dammit, why me?" Kazuichi fought back tears at his ineptitude, all while Celeste barely regarded him still amid her menu gazing.

Kazuichi Soda and Celestia Ludenberg? How did this happen? Such a strange combination would not happen normally, surely. Well, we're going back a bit in time to see the beginnings of the path that led us to this...

* * *

 **A Few Months Ago...**

The levers were pulled. The slots spun forward at a rapid pace in front of her. Then they stopped after five seconds. A row of 7s. Followed by the "Jackpot" message, and the onslaught of coins that spilled right out of the machine.

Celestia Ludenberg could only smirk at her own success.

It only came natural to her after all. She was the Ultimate Gambler. Or rather, soon to be. For as long as she could remember, she had always been able to outwit and outsmart anyone that ever dared to challenge her in a game. Taking every they had with an unapologetic smile on her face. Because nothing would stop her from getting her dream.

And the latest winnings she had managed to accrue now only pushed her ever closer to that dream.

"Over 5 million yen. Truly a plentiful bounty, I must say." Celestia mused to herself proudly. She then began to gather her winnings into a suitcase of sorts. "This now puts my total earnings to nearly 100 million yen. I can certainly say that I am pleased with my work. Of course, it is only natural that I would end up here. Still...it is not enough."

No, it would not be enough. As amazing as he current earnings were, for her dream, it was not yet close enough. She needed more, and that would take more time still. Luckily, Hope's Peak would help in developing her already amazing talent into something grander. And from there, her dream would become closer to reality. She could already taste it.

"Now, I best be going. Even a great gambler knows when it's the right time to walk away from the game. Now is the best time to walk away." Celeste clicked shut her suitcase before hoisting it up. "I do hope Grand Bois Cheri has kept herself clean. I would hate if she-" She did not finish that sentence because...

What was that sound?

No, she recognized that sound easily. It was one she heard too often, but not so far away from her. It was the sounds of winning at the slots. And the rewards pouring out of it.

And the anguished cries of someone who had just lost everything thanks to the cruel fates of gambling.

 _"How strange. Those two sounds should never go together...yet they are clearly intertwined together. Intriguing."_ Celeste mused to herself.

Curiosity eventually overtook the cat, so to speak. She couldn't help herself, she had to know what would create two differing reactions at the same time. So she set herself across the gambling establishment, passing rows and rows of slot machines.

Until, she came across the source of what was causing it. Sitting at one of the slot machines was a boy, seemingly a year older, his clothes a strangely familiar school uniform of tan coloring. His pale skin, white shaggy hair, and unnaturally calm smile all stood out. But what was most surprising...

"Fuck, I knew your luck was goddamn crazy, but this is fuckin' ridiculous..."

A baby-faced blonde teen wearing, for some reason, strange dress clothes that almost made him seem like a gangster stood next to the white-haired boy. And he was just in disbelief.

"You only had one goddamn coin after you got bumped into by a cycler, sending all your money down a sewer hole...and the one coin you didn't lose, you put in...and shit, you hit the fuckin' jackpot! What kind of messed up shit is that?!"

"Ah, well, I guess it can't be helped. My luck hasn't seem to run out yet. I'm very fortunate. Good luck always seems to follow my bad luck after all. Although, it wasn't like I needed the money. But a good time can't be helped." The boy smiled to himself.

"SPEAK FOR YOURSELF! GODDAMMIT!"

The sound of a fist slamming into a slot machine was clearly heard right next to him. And Celeste's gaze turned towards that, and she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at what she saw.

Because this one's appearance was clearly more odd than his two companions.

He wore what seem to be a blue and white jumper of sorts, the kind you would see on those greasy mechanics as they worked in their shops, that had certain stickers and markings on the front of it, and white sneaker. He had what actually appeared to be pink wavy hair of all things that seemed to reach down to his neck, covered on the top by a cap that was worn backward. And even more strange, he actually happened to appeared to be shark teeth of all things. All in all, he looked quite intimidating.

If it wasn't for the fact that he seemed to have tears in his eyes, and pure anguish across his face.

"What's wrong, Kazuichi? I thought you were having fun, isn't that why you wanted to come?" The boy asked curiously.

"Fun?! You're the one who wouldn't leave me alone until I came with you to have fun, Nagito! The only reason I came was when I saw you lose all your coins, I thought luck was turning against you enough to finally swing my way!" Kazuichi was on the verge of crying.

"Oh, things didn't go your way? Do you know what that is, Fuyuhiko?" Nagito questioned with a tilt of his head.

"His damn cries of frustration and agony should have given that shit away." Fuyuhiko scoffed.

"I lost damn near everything I came here with!" Kazuichi screamed angrily. "I didn't even get the damn fruits for a small prize once! I lost! Every! Single! Time! I came here with at least some decent money off what I made for a few people, you give me a false sense of security with your luck, and NOW ALL I'VE GOT IS ONE COIN LEFT! EVERYTHING I EARNED TODAY...GONE! AND YOU WIN EVERYTHING YOU LOST AND MORE IN ONE TRY! WHAT KIND OF BULLSHIT IS THAT?!"

"Oh, well, that's just unfortunate. That's very tragic, can really put one in despair." Nagito mused. Before he smiled creepily. "But still, you'll get through this. And once you do, it'll bring forth a magnificent hope-"

"DON'T GIVE ME YOUR WEIRD-ASS BELIEFS, I WANT MY MONEY BACK, DAMMIT!"

 _"Ah, so they are both connected to each other. One with the most incredible of luck. And the other with luck one would not wish on their worst enemies. A classic tale."_ Celeste chucked behind her hand.

Still, they were an odd bunch, Celeste admitted. Their attitudes and personalities were very unique, so to speak. In fact, where had she seen those uniforms a few of them were wearing? Wait, she had seen them before. In the brochure in the mail she had gotten not too long ago.

 _"So they are Hope's Peak Academy students. Well now, imagine my luck to run into a few of them here, so soon before my entry into the school. What an intriguing turn of events."_

The one known as Nagito stood up to his feet and began gathering his massive earnings. "Well I guess it's best if I just walk away, right? When it comes to gambling, there's always a time to leave as they say."

"Easy for you to say, you're making out like a bandit after one try! That's so not fair!" Kazuichi continued to fight back tears at the unfairness of it all.

"Don't worry, Kazuichi." Nagito placed a hand on Kazuichi's shoulder, as if to comfort him, and gave a big, hopeful smile. "Things may look bleak, but we all go through trials like this. A great hope is on the horizon for you, and once you find it, there will be no limit to what you can do. Don't worry, it will be amazing!"

"...Get the hell out of here before I use my wrench on you." Kazuichi glared at Nagito, fed up with it all.

"Ah, that sounded lame, didn't it? Sorry." Nagito chuckled in self-depreciating fashion before grabbing his earnings. "I'll see you at school, Kazuichi. Goodbye."

With a nonchalant wave and that never-ending smile, he walked away with his earnings in tow. Fuyuhiko just shook his head and patted Kazuichi's shoulder in pity as he walked past him.

"Tough break, Kazuichi. Maybe you'll learn not to do this shit with Nagito anymore. You always seem to get the fuckin' short end of the stick somehow."

Fuyuhiko left on that note, leaving Kazuichi to drown in his financial sorrows by himself in front of the machine. And Celeste watched the whole situation very carefully, her eyes clearly showing intrigue.

 _'Hm, perhaps I can learn more about Hope's Peak from them before I enter. It would certainly give me an advantage to know what to expect for one with a talent such as mine. It'll allow me to develop far quicker than normal. And the boy with the unnatural luck is very intriguing. I've never met someone with such luck before.'_ A sense of excitement over the prospect of a challenge came over her. _'And if I can overcome such luck in a game, perhaps, I can-'_

"Dammit, dammit, dammit...!"

Celeste was brought out of her train of thought by those words, and the sound of flesh hitting steel repeatedly. Her eyes turned towards the source, and it was shown to be the one known as Kazuichi. What was he doing? Why actually slamming his head repeatedly into the slot machine in front of him in frustration.

"Dammit, why does this always happen to me?! All I want is a little good fortune, is that so wrong?! I mean, I deserve a damn break for everything I've been through." Kazuichi moaned to himself. "But no, Miss Sonia's not interested in me, but that breeder from the underworld or whatever, I barely make enough money of my mechanics as is, I always seem to be on the receiving of Nagito's 'luck,' and now THIS? COME ON... WHY ME? What did I do wrong, world?"

Kazuichi just continued to slam his head into the machine, frustrated at never having anything go his way apparently. And Celeste just watched this sight before her for a few moments, mouth covered by her hand in thought.

 _'...What a pitiful sight. It is truly hideous to see. Then again, I suppose this is what you see with those who cannot play the game well. Not every can handle failure well. ...I wouldn't know though, since I never lose.'_

Now normally, Celeste wouldn't bother with such a man. He was D Rank, clearly, and the luck of the one known as Nagito was clearly. But then again...she truly did not like the sight of pitiful men whatsoever. And it did seem like it was less his own skills or luck, and him having to suffer due to the strange events around his classmate to satisfy the latter's luck.

She had a choice to make. She could get what she wanted from either of them, but she couldn't go to both and expect the other to be there. Not to mention the same answer would probably arise. And on most timelines, she would have chosen the one with the great luck.

But then she witnessed Kazuichi for a few more moments lift his head, and look at his last coin intently. And despite his misfortune, it actually seemed like he was...contemplating one last go. A stubborn man, hm?

 _'Hm... He does have a unique appearance that certainly stands out. And the other boy must certainly be gone by now, and I do not wish to do something as ghastly as 'running like mad'...'_

On a pure whim, she made her way towards Kazuichi.

It was a choice that she would never forget in the months to come.

"Ugh... I got one coin left. Do I even try it? I got nothing to lose, but...what if it just results in the same thi-"

"Well, look what we have here. Hello-"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

His utterly terrified scream rang out as he nearly jumped out of his jumper, and Celeste nearly fell onto her backside because of his scream and actions, clearly not expecting it. Luckily for her, she managed to regain her balance as she stayed on her feet, holding her chest in pure shock and disbelief, evident on her face for a brief second.

"What the-?!"

"Ah, what the hell?! A chick?!" Kazuichi looked at Celeste in surprise, before rubbing the back of his head. "Sheesh, don't sneak up on me like that. You scared the crap out of me.

 _'I scared the crap out of you?! WHAT ABOUT ME, YOU STUPID-LOOKING SHARK PIECE OF-!'_ Celeste let a hint of the one known as Taeko out within herself, the rage burning brightly, before she buried it within herself once more.

But as always, it never showed on her face. Instead, it was passive with hints of a poker smile gracing her face. "Well perhaps you should be more aware of your surroundings. Of course considering how you were before, that probably is obvious to anyone who sees you."

"H-Hey! Come on, you don't have to insult me like that!"

Celeste paid no mind to his protests as she twirled a lock of her real hair. "So...tell me, are you a student of Hope's Peak Academy?"

"Huh? O-Oh...yeah. I am. Guess the color of my jumpsuit and all that makes it obvious, huh? What's it to ya?"

"I am but someone who is very interested in such an establishment." Celeste gave off her best polite smile.

"Yeah, welcome to the club, everyone's interested in it, apparently."

"Which is why I would like to come to you with certain questions about Hope's Peak, to finally know more about the institution I am so interested in. After all, there are some things that the general public probably does not about the academy. I wish to change that."

"I guess that's true, but isn't there a reason the general public doesn't know? I don't think I'm supposed to tell you-"

"Please, I would be more than happy if you would be caring enough to answer my questions with no problems whatsoever."

She continued to have her smile, but anyone with any sense of awareness could tell that it held a dangerous edge, and her tone had taken a threatening one. And Kazuichi evidently noticed this as his stance stiffened, now looking fearful of this scary lady. Which Celeste was pleased with, that was the effect she was going for.

"W-Well... I-I guess it would hurt to tell you some things..."

"Good. I am glad we could come to an understanding." Celeste continued to smile.

"R-Right...so...what do you want to know first?" Kazuichi scratched his cheek warily.

"First, I would like for you to tell me about the class structure. Does it operate like other schools, with periods, teachers, and the like? I can imagine that Hope's Peak must be different to other, more common schools."

"Ah, not really. I mean, we have a homeroom and teacher like most other schools, and classes and all that stuff, but it's not like it's mandatory for us to attend all that stuff. Not at all, in fact, they could care less if we do. Really, the only thing we do there is develop our talents."

"Hm, how interesting. So you're not pushed to attend your classes one bit?" Celeste was intrigued. That meant she had free reign to a degree?

"Yeah...but apparently that doesn't matter to our homeroom teacher. She spent all day on her first day dragging each of us back to our homeroom! She'll kill us if we miss our classes." Kazuichi whined.

"Ah, so it depends on the teacher as well. Good to know. Hmmm...still, if we are not meant to attend our classes, how does Hope's Peak develop our talent? How can it hope to measure our talent if we are not enforced to go to classes?"

"I mean, they aren't Hope's Peak if they don't have things for the students to use. You'd be surprised at the amount of stuff they got in there, for just about every kind of talent. Courses, electives, labs, locations, you name it. We're allowed to attend any of them as long as it develops our talent. It's all high-tech and expensive, and they certainly help in making us better, I'm not gonna lie."

"That may be the case for conventional talents. But what about more unorthodox ones?" Celeste pressed.

"Huh? Unorthodox?" Kazuichi was confused at this point.

"It's very easy to have courses and labs for the obvious talents such as sports or writing. But what about the sort of talents that are less common, or even expected? Such as cosplaying, or even gambling? How would they deal with that, if they do not have anything for it?"

She wasn't giving away that she would be a Hope's Peak Academy student. That would lead to a lot of unnecessary talk and she had no time for that sort of thing, she had much to do. Besides, this man was obviously a D Rank, and she could not have him remembering her and trying to talk with her the moment she was entered into the academy. She had standards after all.

"Well, then they probably just create shit for those specific talents then and there. From what I know, Hope's Peak gets whoever they feel has an extraordinary talent, and gets them there. From there, they create stuff if they don't have it already. They put a lot of effort into it if nothing else. Hell, I've had to make a bunch of stuff like testing ground and machinery already for them for their practical exams! Not like I could say no, and at least they gave me some good vehicles and stuff to work on in return, but still! They put me through a lot just for those exams!"

 _'Ah, the practical exam. Yes, even I have heard of that, it's the one part of their school studies they make public. And on a grand stage too no less. They certainly make them extravagant. A stage fitting for me, no doubt.'_

Yet despite this knowledge of the exam, it wasn't that which caught her attention. No, it was another thing involving the one before her and what he had done in regards to it.

"You built some of what was and will be used in the practical exams? How?"

Kazuichi, for the first time she had first seen him, actually beamed a bit with pride. With a big grin and a thumbs up, he did not hesitate. "Yep! I'm one of the few in the school that can do that for them! As for how, well it's not that hard, if time-consuming! I am the Ultimate Mechanic, Kazuichi Soda, after all. Give me something to fix or build, and you bet your ass I'll do it"

 _'The Ultimate Mechanic? I suppose that explains his choice of attire, despite his obviously... unattractive features. Hm, despite being a D Rank, he could prove useful under me. If he ever manages to one day move to a C Rank, I should consider making him a knight. He would make my eventual castle far more grand with his talents.'_

"And trust me, once I graduate, nothing's gonna stop me from reaching my dream! You'll see! I'll get everything I ever want, and be the envy of everybody!" Kazuichi smirked.

"Are you sure about that? Forgive me, but considering your lack of attractiveness and the fact you have nothing left from your recent gambling, I find that hard to believe." Celeste batted not a single eye as she offered this scathing dressing down of Kazuichi.

"W-What?! O-Oh come on, man! No need to kill me like that, I was actually answering your questions! And how do you know I'm doing badly around here?!"

"Considering your desire to shed tears and lack of pure finances at the moment give it away, my dear." Celeste giggled behind her hand. "Even the most dull person can notice how pitiful and defeated you are."

"Goddammit, you don't have to be so blunt about it..."

Kazuichi fought back little bitch tears before slamming his head in frustration on the slot machine, groaning. "Why do I even bother? I never get the better end of these deals. I was a fool for thinking my luck would change otherwise. Now all I got is this one coin left... Much good that does me. What can I even do with one stupid coin?"

As Kazuichi moaned his state of affairs, Celeste continued to observe him. She could tell from his demeanor that he was wondering if he should use his last coin, but obviously his previous failures have beaten him down. And she was reminded then and there of the reason she chose Kazuichi.

Well, he answered her questions, she supposed she could help him in return. Just this once. If only to end the sight of him being so pitiful.

"Ugh... You know what, why am I even contemplating this?" Kazuichi looked down at the coin in his hand in anger. "I'll just end up losing, so I should just-"

"That attitude will never allow you any form of success, Soda. What a shame."

Before he knew it, Celeste had plucked his coin from his hand, and he looked at her in shock. Celeste paid no mind to it as she observed the coin in her hand, spinning it through her fingers casually.

"Hey! Give me my coin back! That's stealing! Okay, it's just a lousy coin, but it's still mine, so-"

"You believe this one coin can't change your fortunes at all, do you?"

Kazuichi was taken back by her question, and compared to her scary, insulting demeanor from a few moments ago, she was now serious, contemplative even. And the gambler could tell he wasn't expecting that, and was now disarmed as a result.

"Uh, well... Yeah, I mean, I've lost the rest of my money playing this game, so what's the point? I'm not a guy who gives up, but what's the point in continuing-"

"If you are not the type to give up, then I would hate to find the ones who do easily give up. Considering you are giving up far sooner than you should."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!" The mechanic glared at the gambler.

"What it means that you are looking at it all wrong. Yes, you have lost much already, that is apparent. You should feel terrible and curse you own incompetence." Kazuichi was just about to bark back in frustration when... "But that does not mean you cannot change your fortunes with one coin."

"Huh?" Kazuichi looked at in her confusion, obviously wondering what she was saying.

"I caught a glimpse of your interactions earlier, and I say, look at your compatriot. From what I heard, he lost everything in one swift stroke, and only had that coin left. One coin could not possibly change his fortunes." Celeste explained. "And yet, in one stroke, it did exactly that."

"You don't know Nagito like I do, nor his damn luck! It's freaky as hell, and this always happen! He always ends up on top after shit happens, and usually, I suffer for it!" Kazuichi fired back.

"But there was no guarantee that his luck would turn around with that one coin, would it?" Kazuichi didn't have a response to that. "Who's to say that it still wouldn't have frowned upon him? That coin was all he had left, and once he used it, there would be nothing left. But he obviously had no fear. Whether he won or lost, he did not fear failure. And that is the difference, my dear."

"The difference?"

"In winning or losing." Celeste smiled as she flipped the coin in her hand, and then caught it gracefully. "The ability to bet everything you have left, big or small, on the hope that it will lead to all failures being absolved."

Kazuichi didn't give a response. He couldn't, because, well...it was something he hadn't heard before. And he couldn't help but be intrigued.

"Am I correct to say that despite your obviously stubborn streak, you still fear failure? Or perhaps even expect failure? Every coin you've used probably filled with such an expectation?" She was holding up his coin to emphasize her point. "Never able to put it all on the line, because you expect inevitable failure. But still chasing after success despite those expectations. A recipe for disaster in every way. No wonder you've lost everything."

"W-What do you know?! You don't have any right to lecture me on this!" Kazuichi pointed accusingly at Celeste.

"Perhaps. But I do know what I'm talking about. So please, listen well, for your own good." Celeste stated very seriously, causing silence from Kazuichi. "Gambling is not just about luck or persistence. It is about confidence, knowing when to lay everything on the line. And believing you will succeed when you do."

"It can't be that simple, can it? I mean, there's got to be more to it. I hear a bunch of people try and say that it's more than just luck, they always go on and on. It gets annoying." Kazuichi grumbled.

"It's not the only aspect, true. I can without a doubt tell you that it takes much strategy and skill, especially in games less reliant on luck than this machine. But I have come to realize it's one of the most important in regards to this." Celeste then reached into her dress and pulled out a coin of her own. "After all, gambling is like a cycle for many. Inevitably, to most, failure will happen. And it will happen consecutively. That is a risk all deal with when playing these games."

Not to her, she was the Queen of Liars after all. The soon to be Ultimate Gambler. She always won. But she also understood that most weren't her, and it wasn't like she wasn't aware of these facts from her experiences. Might as well part them on someone like him.

"But what I've learned is that even if you have a string of bad luck, even if fortune frowns on you, even if your opponent gets the better of you for a stretch..." Celeste then suddenly reached over Kazuichi's shoulder, her slender, pale arm reaching towards the slot machine with her coin, and her head suddenly right next to his, and she glanced at her with bright red eyes, and a devious smirk.

"...all it takes is one victory to wash away it all, and reward you over and over again thereafter."

Kazuichi was still, eyes widen and mouth agape, not expecting such close proximity with a girl, let alone someone like Celeste. They stared at each other for a few seconds in what was a very unique position, and she could tell from his expression that he had not experienced this close proximity with a woman before. It was quite amusing honestly to her. And she couldn't lie if she said she wasn't intrigued by it all, the entirety of the moment."

And it ended when the sound of a coin being inserted was heard, breaking the moment. And a pale hand pulled the lever without any wasted movements to have the slots spinning.

"My dear Kazuichi, at the end of the day, you should stop worrying about your failures, and start focusing on your future."

Then one by one, the slots stopped, revealing a row of apples neatly aligned across from each other in the middle. The sounds of a winner were heard from the machine, and coins began to pour out a moderate rate, much to Kazuichi's stunned silence. And Celeste could only smile as she stood straight once more, that smile still all over her face.

"You might be surprised how everything turns around for you once you do."

Celeste then began to take the money she had just won and made sure to put in her suitcase. Once she did, she stood ready to leave, but not before one last thing. She flipped the coin one last time, caught in her hand, then smoothly placed it back in Kazuichi's hand.

"Now the question for you is this: are you willing to risk everything you have left and believe in your victory? If you do, I hope you abandon that pitiful sight you have been giving off. I truly detest such things."

Celeste then began to walk off, suitcase held in front of her as she was as cool and smooth as always. She was definitely pleased with herself. Of course, there was no guarantee that he would benefit in any way from that, and stay a D Rank forever. Oh well, if that was the case, then it wasn't her fault. Besides, he wasn't attractive enough to be a vampire butler for-

"H-Hey wait!"

Celeste stopped and turned around with a curious expression, her gaze landing on Kazuichi. He was still seated at the slot machine, but his expression was now one of indignation surprisingly.

"That's it?! You're just gonna ask me questions, say all that, act scary, all mysterious, graceful, and that crap, and just leave?! Like that?! I don't even know who you are, why should I listen to you?! You could just be messing with me!"

Celeste was a bit surprised by his reaction, realizing his distrustful demeanor from it. It was not something she certainly was against. In fact, she was actually a bit glad that he wasn't as gullible or naive as he appeared to be. But in the end, she only smiled, her hands intertwined under her chin as she smiled one final time.

"If you wish to believe that, then I will not stop you. But I suppose I can give you this last parting gift. My name is Celestia Ludenberg. It was a pleasure of sorts to make your acquaintance, Kazuichi Soda. Now, I must be off. Until we meet again if ever."

And with that, she turned around and walked away, leaving the Ultimate Mechanic behind. It was certainly an interesting experience for her. She certainly didn't come to regret it as she had been partially expecting it. A nice distraction for sure that let her have some useful information. And that's all it was.

It wasn't like she was ever going to see him for any extended period of time again, even at Hope's Peak Academy. Right?

* * *

Kazuichi watched the gothic lolita girl walk off, unable to help himself as he continued to gaze at her. That was one of the strangest things that had ever happened to him. He still wasn't sure what had actually happened just now. He was still trying to process it all. But the first thing to come to him was the most obvious...

"Celestia Ludenberg, huh? That can't be her real name. I already know a foreign girl, and she didn't look like she was one. Why would she...?" Kazuichi rubbed his head in confusion, until he shook it. "Ah, forget it. Not really that important. And that girl was scary as hell. Glad I'm not seeing her again..."

Still, he didn't expect that situation with them being so close. So close that he could stare into her ruby red eyes. He had never seen eyes as red as hers, it was freaky. And yet, it was enticing to a degree, he couldn't lie. And despite the strange and scary gothic look she was rocking, he'd be lying to himself if he said she wasn't attractive to a degree, especially in that moment. And he had never been that close to a girl before...

"Maybe if she was a smoking hot blonde... Ah, what am I thinking? I can't do wrong by Miss Sonia like that! She's the only one for me!" Kazuichi proudly stated with a fist to the chest. "And besides, she's not blonde! My dream requires a blonde, no compromises! That's for damn sure!"

Kazuichi was firm in that. Ever since he was a boy, he had dreamed of having a hot blonde girlfriend. And he wasn't giving up that ever. He had come too far, besides, no one could compare to Miss Sonia. He would show her what he was made of, whisk her away, and be the best boyfriend a great European princess could ask for!

Still...

He couldn't help but look down at the coin in his hand. The last bit of money that he owned thanks to this horrible excursion. He still blamed Nagito and his stupid luck, he always got the short end of the stick with him. But he'd be lying if her words didn't resonate with her after everything.

"I always lose because I always expect failure, huh?"

He kept on staring at the coin, contemplating her words deeply. After a few moments, he clenched the coin tightly in his hand suddenly. And his expression was one of pure determination.

"Dammit, she's right. I always think I end up losing. Even now when I ask Miss Sonia out all the time, I always expect the rejection. And I never really believed I could win at this. I always expected to lose! Well no more! Because I remembered what I'm best at! Not freakin' giving up! If I lose nine times in a row, but win it all in the tenth, then the other losses don't matter! She's right, all it takes is one win to make up for it!"

"Would you stop talking to yourself, I'm trying to play these slot machines here!" A random patron shouted at him irritatedly.

"Hey, would you mind, I'm trying to have an epic moment to myself here, I don't get too many of them!" Kazuichi shouted back at the patron before taking a deep breath.

"Willing to risk it all to win it all, and believe you can, huh? Well, it's not like I have anything left to really lose. So yeah! Let's do it!" Kazuichi grinned confidently as he pumped his fist. "I mean, I'm betting on myself right! And there's no one you can trust in this fuckin' world other than yourself! So one last round, let's put it all on the line!"

Kazuichi quickly inserted his final coin with newfound confidence, and pulled the lever with pure energy. He then watched as the slot spun in rapid fashion, his eyes furrowed as if he was still playing the game despite being unable to do anything else here.

Celestia Ludenberg was one of the more unique people Kazuichi had ever met. He had a strange feeling there was more to her than meets the eye, but in the end, it didn't matter. It wasn't like he would ever see her again, right? That was how it usually worked with him.

But as the slots slowly stopped one by one, and Kazuichi's eyes widened, maybe his luck in that regard was finally going to turn around.

Nothing could be more evident of that than when the slots stopped at "7" one by one, "Jackpot" lighting up across the slot machine, and the money came pouring out onto his lap.

* * *

 **A/N: And that's the first chapter of Slot Machines. The first fic of its kind, featuring this pairing. Yes, it seems unorthodox, but I can be an unorthodox guy. And these two have more similarities behind the surface, and I find myself fascinated by them. Since there was nothing with them at all, I decided to be the one to change that. And I hope this fic lives up to what I want it to be. I'm unsure of how long it'll be, but I want to have a lot of fun with this one.**

 **Now this is my first time using these characters, so I can't say I'm fully confident in my characterization of them, but I can certainly get better. I will be going back to modify and clean this up if need be, especially if I feel like characters would say this or that in a certain way. I'm very particular about this.**

 **Either way, I'm very excited about this project, and I hope you all love it as much as I do when it's all said and done. Please make sure to leave feedback, it helps me. Until next time. ForceWalker signing off.**


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